General Membership

ESC has started recruiting members. Those who are interested in remapping the boundaries of their knowledge beyond textbook notions please join and be a part of ESC.

To be a general member, follow the instructions given below:

• Collect a membership form from the computer lab of Department of Economics. Make sure it is signed.

• Fill up the form in English with BLOCK letters.

• Attach a Passport size and a Stamp size photograph with the form. Write your name and roll number on the other side of the photographs. Then you will be provided a serial number.

• Pay 100 Tk for membership fee.

Please note: You will be considered as a member of Economics Study Center only after getting your form sealed by the admin. Also provide a valid e-mail id for online notification.

Also there is a facebook group of ESC. If you have a face book account just search for Economics Study Center DU (Bangladesh)

Feel free to mail: esc.du.bd@gmail.com

Contact

Foyasal Khan (foyasal_khan@yahoo.com)
Fahim Hassan (fhassan.03@gmail.com)

Economic Consequences of Cyclone SIDR

Cyclone Sidr, which hit southern districts of Bangladesh on November 15, claimed the lives of at least 4,000 people and affected some 5.5 million others. The massive destruction jeopardized our economy severely. To measure and analyze the damage ESC organized an informal Round Table discussion.

In the discussion we pointed out the following issues:

Growth concerns: The economic impact of the cyclone may be more significant than the political fluctuations. The economy was already sluggish before the cyclone hit due to flash floods.

- Higher oil prices were sapping government budgets and increasing fertilizer and transport costs.

- The area hit by Cyclone Sidr is often described as the national rice basket and the destruction of crops there will have a significant short-term impact. There is a possibility of price hike of food grains in near future. Some 2,000 square kilometres of rice crops have been completely destroyed, pushing up prices by 15% in some places. They are likely to increase further as the government moves to boost dwindling rice reserves.

- The government has requested 500,000 tonnes of rice from donor countries in order to make-up a shortfall -- the country is normally self-sufficient in rice.

- Rice imports mean that problems with grain supply are unlikely to result in a severe shortage of food or famine (as occurred after the 1970 cyclone), though the peak of any shortages will not be clear until March -- when rice stocks are traditionally at their lowest.

- Other agriculture sectors have been affected -- livestock worth 44 million dollars was destroyed.

- Reconstruction will put further pressure on budgets that are already strained by the need to cover higher oil subsidies.

Study on Energy Policy of Bangladesh

Year 2007 was stamped by lot of controversies that coiled the socio-economic scenario of Bangladesh. The TATA proposal, Phulbari massacre repeatedly reminded us about the vagueness of our policy implementation process. A debate popped out regarding energy conservation. However we have realized that policy bankruptcy and lack of technological courage are the major hindrances of promoting a subtle long term development plan. The impotent government plan by myopic policy makers shamelessly failed to secure national security and our inherited wealth.

ESC thus organized a seminar titled “Study on Energy Policy of Bangladesh”.

Date: 16 April, 2007
Venue: Lecture Theater

The articles reviewed were:

Coal Policy Regarding Phulbari
By Nazmul Ehsan

Electricity scenario in Bangladesh
By Nusrat Jahan, Asiya Siddica and Shamsuzzaman Shams

Gas Scenario in Bangladesh
By Syed Mortaza Asif Ehsan

PROLOGUE

This Blog is basically an online discussion board of the organization ECONOMICS STUDY CENTER, which is run by the students of Department of Economics, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. This organization has a glorious past where the titans of economics (e.g. Professor M.M. Akash, Professor Sajjad Zohir) had repetitively criticized the stereotype policies of our country and trailed through a different path from cliché academics during their student life. However this counter revolution was not only confronted in rhetoric pedagogy. They organized several events, seminars, colloquiums, and round table discussions.

Gradually the activities of the ESC members spilled over in rural areas. A village study group was formed by Prof. Mahmud Khan, Prof.Shawpan Adnan and some other students of dept. of economics. Their intricate research works helped to portray the rural scenario of Bangladesh.

After decades we are proud to announce the reincarnation of this reputed organization.

This Blog aims to create optimal online interaction regarding any topics related to economics. Also feel free to post useful links. However personal advertisement and corporate publicity is strictly prohibited. Any type of suggestions, proposals and criticisms are always welcome.

There is always an inner economist in our mind. Let’s just re-discover it.